Newsletter

Rules changed regarding filing for Topeka City Council seats

Topeka city clerk Brenda Younger, right, in 2014 received a petition submitted by Chris Imming seeking to schedule a public vote. A Kansas law passed last year requires candidates for city governing body seats beginning this year to file at the Shawnee County election office instead of the Topeka city clerk’s office.

Candidates this year for seats on Topeka’s governing body will now need to file to run at the Shawnee County election office instead of the Topeka city clerk’s office.

That requirement was changed by a Kansas state law approved last year, which also moved municipal elections from spring to fall.

Topeka city clerk Brenda Younger’s office recently posted information on its website at http://cjon.co/2lPogYW indicating the deadline will be at noon June 1 for candidates to file to run for the seven seats on Topeka’s governing body that will be up for a vote.

The city will hold primary elections on Aug. 1 and general elections on Nov. 7 for the mayor’s office and the seats in Topeka City Council districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9.

One of those governing body members, District 7’s Elaine Schwartz, has announced she won’t seek re-election.

This year’s elections are approaching at a time of flux for Topeka’s city government, where administrative officials currently include an interim city manager, interim fire chief and interim police chief.

Younger’s office’s website said those interested in running for seats on the city’s governing body must file a declaration of intent to be a candidate with the county election commissioner’s office at 3420 S.W. Van Buren. For details, call that office at (785) 251-5900.

Candidates must pay a $20 local filing file and a $50 state registration fee, though they may avoid paying the $20 fee by instead filing for nomination by petition. City ordinance establishes rules regarding the minimum number of signatures of registered voters a candidate must have to file to run by petition for each specific office.

The Aug. 1 primary will be held to narrow the field of candidates to two in any district in which at least three people have filed.

Seats up for election this year are:

The mayor’s office held since 2013 by Larry Wolgast.

The seat representing central Topeka’s District 1, held since 2009 by Karen Hiller.

The seat representing east and central Topeka’s District 3, held since 2005 by Sylvia Ortiz.

An unexpired term in the seat representing southeast Topeka’s District 4, held since last year by Tony Emerson, who replaced Jonathan Schumm after he resigned.

The seat representing south-central Topeka’s District 5, held since 2013 by Michelle De La Isla.

The seat representing southwest Topeka’s District 7, held since 2013 by Schwartz.

The seat representing west Topeka’s District 9, held since 2005 by Richard Harmon.

The winner in District 4 will serve out the last two years of Schumm’s term, while those who win the races for mayor and other districts seats will win four-year terms.

Topeka City Council members are paid $20,000 a year, while the city pays its mayor $40,000 a year.

The seats in council districts 2, 6 and 8 will next come up for election in 2019.